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Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United face their first major test in the Castle Lager Premiership this weekend when they host champions FC Platinum at the National Sports Stadium.

The Green Machine have a spring in their step after a good start in the league.

They have managed three wins and a draw and are on top of the standings.

But gaffer Lloyd Chitembwe insists it is not how one starts the race which is important but how they finish it.

The start is remarkable for the Makepekepe family who last season made a mockery of football in their opening games.

The club faced in-house challenges. Player boycotts over salaries and bonuses were the order of the day and this nearly brought the league into disrepute.

But all that is now a thing of the past. People learn from their mistakes and CAPS United seem to have mastered that.

The former champions are playing well and they have a very good team. There is harmony in the group, the right chemistry and the team spirit is high up there.

To their credit, the club knew what their problem was and vowed to correct it.

The club president Farai Jere, who has only managed to watch their season opener against Cranborne Bullets, said he is looking forward to their next game against the four-time champions.

Jere recently won the ZANU PF primary elections to contest as a Member of Parliament for the Murewa West constituency in the upcoming elections.

He believes it would be the perfect icing on the cake for both the club and their president to win in their respective fields.

Jere, who prefers not to say much, leaving his gaffer and chief executive Charlie Jones to do all the talking, is happy with how things are shaping up.

“We have the right players and everyone is happy. I am told that the dressing room spirit is fantastic. I have been busy but I will have a chance to watch the team this weekend against FC Platinum.

“It is a big game but I am confident that the technical team has a game plan for the big game.

“Even people from the constituency love the team and will make the trip in buses to watch the Harare Derby.

“We know what is needed to win the league. Last year, we knew we were out of the race after the way we started, it was a chaotic start. We knew where our problems were coming from, so it was easy to work on them and address them,” said Jere.

Jere said the team is stable and there is tranquillity at the club.

Although it is early days to talk about the end of the season, the Premier Soccer League chairman is bullish that they will be in the race if they keep working hard to maintain good form.

His coach Chitembwe, after the 2-0 victory against Black Rhinos which catapulted them to the top of the table on Good Friday, said the current position on the log doesn’t matter at all but what is significant is how they will finish the league.

“It is not really about being on top of the log. We have only played four games, and it is not about what position we are in at the moment.

“We are very experienced in this career to understand that it is not the start that is very important but it is the finish.

“Yes, we have started very well, but I think the finishing is very important. So it only gives us a very good belief in what we are doing, in the way we are planning, the way we are training. But at the end of the day I still believe there is a lot of football to be played,” said Chitembwe.

Chitembwe’s troops controlled the game against Rhinos from the onset and they were never put under pressure by the army side.

The club’s top goal scorer William Manondo scored his first goal this season when he converted a penalty while Rodwell Chinyengetere headed in the second half as the team cruised to another victory, which is becoming routine. CAPS United have 10 points, while their next opponents FC Platinum, who bounced back to winning ways last week, are following closely on nine points. Dynamos are third while Highlanders sit in fourth place, with both teams level on eight points but separated by goal difference.